


Quiet

by droppedwalkman



Category: Rick and Morty
Genre: Hair stroking, Jerrick, M/M, Non-Sexual Touching, One Shot, Sensuality, Softness, Tenderness, UST
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-31
Updated: 2019-12-31
Packaged: 2021-02-27 16:01:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,995
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22049785
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/droppedwalkman/pseuds/droppedwalkman
Summary: Rick falls asleep on Jerry while they're watching TV.
Relationships: Rick Sanchez/Jerry Smith (Rick and Morty)
Comments: 7
Kudos: 118





	Quiet

Jerry couldn’t believe how quiet it was that night. Well, the television was noisy enough, but even the multi-dimensional courtroom drama he was binging still wasn't enough to fill up all the lonely corners of the house. Beth and Morty were at school...something to do with the PTA? He couldn't really remember. Summer was staying over with a friend and wouldn’t be back till the next day, probably late. 

Everyone was accounted for, he thought, with a gentle sigh and a soft but furtive glance over at Rick beside him. As he usually did when Rick’s eyes were closed in his presence, Jerry quietly studied the other man and recognized his wife, however subtly, in the long slope of his nose, even in the steep hollow of his collarbones as they jutted above his shirt collar. The soft looking hair... Jerry snapped his eyes back to the TV and raced through a few hundred channels. He let it rest on an advertisement just as he felt a weight pressing onto his shoulder. Jerry tensed, face set into automatic chagrin, but then relaxed as Rick just continued dozing, and drooling, against his shoulder, with his hands lazily folded in his lap, flask about to tumble out of his hand. 

Jerry smiled, probably the first genuinely warm, un-self-conscious one he’d enjoyed in a while, and reached down to take the flask and set it on the coffee table with care. He nudged his head against Rick’s very gently and allowed the warm feelings to flood him from the inside. He’d never get to be this close to the old man while he was awake; this was just...nice. Soothing in a strangely simple way to feel Rick’s upper body expand against him with every breath; Jerry turned the TV volume down to a murmur to better hear the rhythmic breathing, punctuated every now and then by a soft grunt or mumble. Of course Jerry wanted to keep an ear out for the returning car or the phone, ready to push Rick away before anyone saw this. 

When he lay back against the couch into a more relaxed position, he caused Rick to slip right off his shoulder and into his lap. Jerry froze, eyes wide, cheeks staining red. But Rick slept on, with his open, leaking mouth snoring into Jerry’s thigh, one arm bent against his own chest, the other laying with precarious balance over Jerry’s knees. 

Jerry glanced around, a purely reflexive action, as if he had to remind himself they were alone. Satisfied, he gazed down at Rick and followed the rise and fall of his shoulders with his eyes. He considered waking him, a big risk for sure, but he feared what Rick might do if he awoke in this position. What he might say… Jerry decided he’d take the chance and let Rick sleep, justifying to himself that Rick was clearly exhausted. Just as one might be reluctant to disturb a cat asleep in one’s lap, Jerry really didn’t want to be the one to break this rare and wonderful peace. Hesitant at first, he carefully ghosted his fingers along Rick’s hairline. They ventured around the back of Rick’s ear, loving the surprising softness of the skin there. 

He paused for signs of wakefulness, then took the ultimate plunge: with a sense of danger he ran his fingers through Rick’s hair, sliding softly over his bald spot before continuing. With a soft and far away look, Jerry stroked the old man’s hair exactly as he would a sleeping cat, even playing with the curve of his ear and stroking down to his shoulder as his courage increased.

He gasped, almost too loud, when Rick rustled and wormed, both legs up on the couch and bent, as he moved himself into a tighter, deeper curl in Jerry’s lap, still out like a light. Jerry tried to make out what Rick murmured under his breath, but didn’t care much either way as to the content. It was just nice to hear how soft Rick’s voice could be when it was not leaden with sarcastic disdain. The petting resumed. 

Once again Rick stirred, but this time Jerry calmly caressed him back to sleep. He smiled at the soft sounds Rick let slip from his parted lips and dared to brush across Rick’s cheek bone a few times, getting brave as Rick’s peaceful breathing almost lulled him to sleep. Feeling brave, he kept up this soft, exploratory stroking, exploring the curve of his chin, the warmth at his throat. Rick was unnervingly light with his body sprawled halfway across Jerry's lap. He had to just stare at him a moment and marvel at what a stark difference such a mundane, human condition like sleep could make. 

Jerry’s face hardened as he reflected on his relationship with Rick, while his hand stroked and caressed through the other’s hair. His cheeks glowed an angry red as he pondered over a variety of memories--most of which he’d gained earlier that day--and the confused rush of emotions they’d left behind in his brain. It made his guts clench up to think about just how frustrated he often found himself with Rick, seemingly stuck in a forever losing situation. He had hated Rick in those moments. He let himself think about that again, but in a more distant, forgiving way, unable to feel that angry at someone snoozing innocently in his lap, relying on Jerry, whether he knew it or not, to keep him from falling to the floor. He leaned down to press the side of his face into Rick’s hair and closed his eyes as he just allowed them both to exist in this moment. No judgment, no future, no past. Just the warmth of their bodies, of them breathing each other in.

Rick began to writhe, as if in a nightmare, and groaned. Jerry stroked behind his ear to soothe him with a distinct confidence in his ability to do exactly that. He smiled at how Rick melted at his touch, and even turned over onto his back in a slumber induced obliviousness. The TV droned on in the background while Jerry studied the curves and edges and deep set lines of Rick’s face with gentle fingertips. He relished the soft, wordless sounds he got in return but listened for signs of an angry intelligence returning to consciousness, like listening for danger over the horizon.

Soon enough the rise and fall of Rick’s chest proved too hypnotic for Jerry; he felt himself drifting off and could not be bothered to fight it. He still had his hand cupping Rick’s skull, held in place in his hair by friction. Rick counted Jerry’s breaths; not too difficult as with each one his belly pressed against him with soft insistence. He dared to crack open an eye then opened both fully at the sight of Jerry’s lowered head and peaceful face. He rubbed his head against Jerry’s hand with the frustrated desire for more. 

He hadn’t asked for any of this. The day had been like any other, except on this day Rick had let Morty spend the day with his mom instead of him. Ostensibly that was to give the poor kid a break, but Rick would be lying if he didn't want some r 'n r for himself. He had some fun, some near death experiences, and as dusk fell, he returned drained in more ways than one. He supposed it was possible that he might have passed out in front of the TV before Jerry decided to sit next to him. All he knew was that everything from when he portalled back to the garage to the moment of waking up with his cheek smashed against Jerry’s thigh was a blank. It was Jerry's touches that woke him up.

Rick was certainly surprised when he awoke, but he kept himself deathly still as Jerry petted him. He noticed how little the other man’s touches bothered him. Not that he was about to have a change of heart or anything, but at that moment he figured it’d be a lot less trouble for them both if he just passively allowed this...situation to run its course. And besides, after the day he’d had he felt he deserved some affection. Something...tender. He gazed up at Jerry and considered nudging him awake, just so he could pretend to sleep again and hopefully be petted some more. His scalp practically vibrated at the thought. 

But he knew Beth would be back soon and he didn’t want to have to explained what he was doing nestled in her husband’s lap. He was just mustering up the energy to get up when Jerry's phone chriped. Rick slammed his eyes shut and gave his best dead asleep face as Jerry jolted awake above him and muttered under his breath. Jerry gripped Rick’s shoulder to secure him as he reached over for his phone on the table. Rick held his breath as the other’s soft abdomen squished against his face. 

As if he’d forgotten, Jerry made a confused sound and tugged his hand from Rick’s hair roughly. Rick suppressed a wince, but he melted like butter when Jerry stroked that spot better, while reading the text aloud to himself. Rick would have rolled his eyes were they still open, but he was glad for the free information. Beth was on her way back. He heard Jerry ask himself what he was going to do with him, an amused edge to his voice. 

Rick remained deathly motionless, save for his rising and falling chest and the occasional soft grunt as Jerry nudged his shoulder and whispered to him. He could have helped him out, maybe by pretending to just wake up, let good old confusion render him harmless and compliant for Jerry before Beth got home. But he was curious as to how Jerry would handle this. He could have purred aloud when Jerry ran fingers through his hair again, and nearly squeezed himself against his warmth. But instead he was a snoring dead weight as Jerry slid one arm under Rick’s knees and the other beneath his shoulders. Rick nearly shouted in a panic he quickly suppressed as he realized what Jerry was about to do or at least attempt. Fighting the urge to grip Jerry’s shirt, Rick whimpered softly in dread as Jerry planted his feet on the ground and stood up with the old man secure in his arms. “Huh. Lighter than he looks,” Rick heard with a flash of irritation but he let it go; what mattered more in that moment was that he had to trust Jerry to carry him wherever it was he intended without dropping him. Rick’s jaw clenched. 

Jerry’s first few steps were rough, but after that it was a smooth ride--enough to really lull Rick to sleep if he weren’t so alert. Still a little nervous, Rick enjoyed it anyway, and pressed his face into the other's body serenely, keeping his eyes closed the entire time. 

He peeked when he felt Jerry slowing, and was greeted by the familiar darkness of his room. His hand trailed down Jerry's arm as he was lain onto the bed, and when he felt Jerry’s hand within his own, he squeezed it briefly. He sensed Jerry pause, but he said nothing.

Instead, Jerry let his hand slide out of Rick's, took the old man’s shoes off, and guided his long legs beneath the covers. The front door opened and the lively sounds of babbling humans reached the dark room, giving Jerry his cue. “Good night, Rick,” he said softly. Just as he reached the door, Rick replied, “‘Night, Jerry,” in a coherent, neutral tone. He sounded sleepy, but definitely awake. If Jerry responded or noticed, Rick couldn't tell; he nestled his head in his pillow with tired contentment as he heard his bedroom door close gently. 

THE END


End file.
